Frame for badminton and tennis rackets



Aug. w, 1940. c. A. THOMPSON FRAME FOR BADMINTON AND TENNIS RACKETSFiled Dec. 30, 1938 r v""`il| u w INVENTOR Char/@5 A Tho ATTORNEYPatented Aug. 13, 1940 FRAME Foa BADMINTON AND RACKETS f Y TENNis'*Charles A. Thompson, New Sharon, llairre, .Y Application December 30,1938, Serial No. 248,3f82, n v *I 1 claim. (c1. 2731-73) 'I'hisinvention relates to new and useful improvements in a frame forbadminton and tennis rackets.`

The invention has for an object the construction of 4a frame which ischaracterized by a handle consisting of a plurality of longitudinalsections stacked utogether and having outwardly iiared top portions, ahead for the strings or gut mounted on said handle in a specific manner,and wedge shaped throat pieces associated with said handle and head in acertain manner.

More speically, the invention contemplates to arrange the parts in amanner so that the outwardly ared top portions assist in holding thehead in position.

Still further the invention proposes to so arrange the ends that theoutwardly flared top portions" oppose stresses and strains tending topull the head of the racket outwards relative to the handle.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawing, and to the appended claim in which the variousnovel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing iorminga material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of a racket constructed according tothis invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional View of the central portionof Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line G-li of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating anotherembodiment of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational View of a racket constructed according to astill further modified form of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line fi-I of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is aV vertical sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of Fig. 7.

The frame for badminton and tennis rackets, according to this invention,includes a handle Il] consisting of a plurality of longitudinal sections1Gb, iilc stacked together and having outwardly flared portions II atthe top arranged in a certain manner. A head I2 for the string or gut ofthe racket is formed from a strip of material arranged in substantiallycircular coniiguration and having its ends I2a and I2b engaging theopposite sides oflthe handle III.v A reinforcement strand I3 is engagedabout the handle I0 and the ends I2a and 12b for reinforcing theseparts.

The section IIIa of the handle constitutes the central section of thehandle. The top end of this section is straight. The sections I0b andIII'c constitute outer sections arranged upon the sides of the centralsection Illa. The upper ends vf these sections flare outwards to formthe outwardly flared portions II. Wedge shaped throat pieces Il! areengaged in the space between the flared portions II and the top of thecentral section Illa. Other wedge shaped throat portions I5 are engagedin the spaces between the flared portions II and the end portions I2aand I2b. A strip of material I6 is arranged around tle inner surface ofthe head I2 to reinforce the same and to prevent the gut from becomingworn at the portions engaging the liead I2. Reference numeral Ilindicates the gut mounted on the head I2 in a conventional manner.

The inventive feature may be understood from the following. The ends I2aand I2b, the :flared portions I I, the wedge shaped throat pieces I4 andI5, and the central section IIla are all joined together in an integralunit by gluing, cementing, or any other similar method. When the racketis being used it is held by the handle While its head is used to strikea ball. This produces a tendency causing the head to fly relativelyoutwards from the end of the handle. This tendency is restrained by theoutwardly flared top portions II. In order for the head I2 to fly olf itwould be necessary that the ends Ia and IZb either compress the wedgeshaped throat portions I4 and I5 to destruction, which is impossible, orthemselves spread over the wedge shaped pieces. This latter condition isalso impossible.

In Fig. 5 a modication of the invention has been disclosed whichdistinguishes from the prior form in the fact that a rivet I3 is engagedthrough the outwardly ilared top portions Il and the wedge shaped piecesIll. This rivet assists in joining these parts together as a unit andadds to the strength of the construction.

In Figs. 6-8 inclusive another form of the invention has been disclosedwhich distinguishes' from the prior form particularly in theconstruction of the outwardly flared top portions. In this form of theinvention the outwardly flared top portions II are each of semi-conicalform. The central handle section Illa is flat. The edges of thesemi-conical flared portions rest upon edge portions of the flat centralsection Illa. The

flared portions Il are not truely semi-conical in form, but closelysimulate a frustum of a cone. Wedge shaped throat pieces I4 are engagedwithin the flared portions Il. Other wedge shaped portions I5' areengaged between the outer surfaces of the flared portions Il and theends |21* and |21). In other respects this form of the invention issimilar to the previous form.

The feature of this form of the invention resides in the fact that theoutwardly ared top portions Il because of their curved formations serveto rigidly and firmly hold the head of the racket.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modications coming within the scope of the invention asdened in the appended claim.

. Having thus described my invention, what I Claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

A frame for tennis rackets and the like comprising a laminated handleportion formed of a plurality of strips of wood stacked together, eachof said strips having an upper portion tapered in thickness to provide atapered neck portion, a head portion comprising a curved strip ofmaterial substantially circular in configuration, the inner sides of thelast-named strip of material tapering at the ends thereof so as to liecomplementary with the tapered neck portion, and a throat portion formedby wedges engaged between the top end portions of the strips forming thehandle thereby causing said strips to are outwardly, and wedges engagedbetween the outwardly flared ends of the strips and the curved stripforming the head portion, said strips and Wedges being secured to oneanother.

CHARLES A. THOMPSON.

